Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 12 : Doctors on Monday staged peaceful protests in Srinagar and Jammu against the brutal assault on a female doctor in Kolkata.
A nationwide strike was called by Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) against the sexual assault and murder of the trainee doctor whose body was found inside a seminar hall of the hospital on Friday morning.
Doctors wearing black armbands raised slogans calling for justice to the victim as they staged a rally from the Super Specialty Hospital Jammu to demand justice.
A doctor told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that female staff fear working in night shifts and there is a need that the government should come out with a comprehensive security plan inside the hospitals in the wake of these incidents.
Dr Sameer from GMC Srinagar said they are on the streets as part of the nationwide protest to press for the death penalty to the rapist.
He said that exemplary action must be taken against the accused persons so that such incidents won’t be repeated.
A female doctor said that they now have safety concerns but the government can take steps that may ensure that such incidents won’t be repeated again anywhere.
In Srinagar’s GMC, the Resident Doctors Association held a peaceful protest at SMHS Hospital to express solidarity with the female resident doctor of R. G. Kar Medical College in Kolkata, West Bengal.
A spokesperson of the association said that the abhorrent crime has not only shaken the country but has also highlighted the urgent need for justice and systemic reform at a national level.
It said that the circumstances surrounding her death are a grim reminder of the violence faced by women across the country and the need for a robust legal response.
“The RDA calls for the immediate and thorough investigation of this heinous crime. It is imperative that the perpetrators are identified, apprehended, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We urge the national law enforcement agencies to allocate all necessary resources to ensure that justice is served swiftly and effectively,” it added.
The Doctors Association urged the policymakers to implement stronger measures to protect women and vulnerable individuals, enhance support systems for survivors, and ensure that such heinous acts are met with the harshest penalties—(KNO)
